Unwind assembly for a papermaking machine



Dec. 29, 1964 P. J. LINK 3,163,375

UNWIND ASSEMBLY FOR A PAPERMAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24 1962 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 29, 1964 P. J. LINK 3,163,375

UNWIND ASSEMBLY FOR A PAPERMAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1962 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 O) a? I I I \r |III I, Jil I 'L :1 I" II'n f n. l/ I I I I m a l I I I I I m I m I I I I I I I .J! J m L, II, T v J I 0 I g 3 a,

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Dec. 29, 1964 P. J. LINK 3,163,375

UNWIND ASSEMBLY FOR A PAPERMAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24 1962 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 29, 1964 P. J. LINK 3,163,375

UNWIND ASSEMBLY FOR A PAPERMAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24 1962 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIHIIHHI Dec. 29, 1964 P. J. LINK UNWIND ASSEMBLY FOR A PAPERMAKING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 24. 1962 Dec. 29, 1964 LINK 3,163,375

UNWIND ASSEMBLY FOR A PAPERMAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24 1962 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 I (U m 2 9 55.71. I] g I" I I F L .I ...L. J:

I 1 I I! I 3 1' H Dec. 29, 1964 P. J,-LlNK 3,163,375

UNWIND ASSEMBLY FOR A PAPERMAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1962 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Dec. 29, 1964 P. J. LINK 3,163,375

UNWIND ASSEMBLY FOR A PAPERMAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1962 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Dec. 29, 1964 P. J. LINK 3,163,375

UNWIND ASSEMBLY FOR A PAPERMAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24 1962 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 United States Patent 3,163,375 UNWINI) ASSEMEBLY FUR A PAPERMAIHNG MACE Peter 3. Link, Neenah, Wis, assign-or to IGrnherly-Clark Corporation, Neeneh, Wis, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 225,459 4 Claims. (Cl. 242-582) My invention relates to papermaking machines and, more particularly, to an unwind assembly for holding a roll of paper web or the like and regulating its movement so that it unwinds under controlled conditions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved unwind assembly for paper web or the like for controlling the tension of the Web being unwound from a web roll with the tension substantially constant as the web roll decreases in diameter.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved unwind assembly of this type by means of which the exposed end of a fresh roll of web may be attached to the end of an expiring roll of web while web is being drawn from the expiring roll so that a continuous length of web may be drawn from the unwind assembly without cessation when a web roll expires.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide an improved unwind assembly including a control drum, which may be designated as a reel drum and with which a supply roll of web makes contact, for controlling the tension of the web drawn from the roll, and to provide mechanism for raising an expiring roll of web while still maintaining it in contact with the reel drum to allow the substitution of a fresh roll of web in the same position in contact with the reel drum as the expiring web roll occupied prior to raising the expiring roll.

In a preferred embodiment, my improved unwind assembly includes relatively horizontal ways for supporting rolls of paper web, a plurality of oppositely disposed power actuated arms for moving a roll of web into contact with a reel drum, an electric generator connected to the reel drum for retarding movement of the web that is drawn around the reel drum from the roll and for like wise retarding rotation of the roll, a belt assembly con nected to a combination motor-generator and adapted to contact the supply roll of web for augmenting the retarding effect of the first mentioned generator, an additional pair of arms mounted for swinging movement coaxially with the reel drum and power actuated for swinging an expiring roll of web upwardly which remains in contact with the reel drum to make place for a fresh roll of web moved into the original position of the expiring roll in contact with the reel drum so that the end of the fresh roll may be pasted onto the end of the expiring roll. The unwind assembly preferably also includes a power actuated knife for severing the web from the expiring roll at the same time that the pasting is accomplished, and the motor generator is preferably utilized to bring the peripheral speed of the fresh roll up to the peripheral speed 7 of the reel drum prior to the pasting of the webs of the two rolls, so that a continuous supply of web is obtained from the unwind assembly.

The invention consists of the novel constructions and methods to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects, and such other objects, as will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form of unwind assembly and preferred method for unwinding web rolls, illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of an unwind assembly constructed in accordance with teachings of the present invention together with a supercalender and web winding assembly for receiving web drawn from the unwind assembly;

3,ifi3,3?5 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 ICC FIG. 2 is a plan view of the unwind assembly together with a portion of the supercalender;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the unwind assembly together with the supercalender;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view on an enlarged scale of the unwind assembly;

FIG. 5 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale taken on line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end view of the unwind assembly taken on the same scale as FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view on a still further enlarged scale of a portion of the unwind assembly; I

FIG. 8 is an end view of the portion of the unwind assembly illustrated in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the knife assembly used in cutting the web from an expiring roll carried by the unwind assembly;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are sectional views on an enlarged scale of the knife assembly together with associated parts taken respectively on lines 1ll 10 and 11-11 of FIG. 9;

FIGS. 12,13, and 14 are fragmentary side views of certain piston-cylinder assemblies for actuating certain movable parts of the unwind assembly; and

FIGS. 15 to 22 are diagrammatic side elevational views of the unwind assembly under different conditions of openation, with 'various parts of the unwind assembly being in changed positions in the various views.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several views.

Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, to FIG. 1, the illustrated paper converting system may be seen to comprise, in general, a paper supply and unwind assembly 10, a supercalender 11 and a winder 12.

The supercalender 11 is of'conventional construction and includes a relatively large bull roll 13, relatively small diameter steel rolls 14 and intermediate size rolls 15 disposed in a stack, as illustrated. Each of the rolls 15 is provided with a resilient cover 16 in accordance with conventional practice. A relatively large roll 17 is provided at the top of the stack. The roll 13 is driven from a pair of electric motors 18 drivingly connected with the roll through gearing 19 (see FIG. 2). with conventional practice, the lowermost roll 13 is rotatably mounted with respect to the supercalender frame 20,

and each of the other rolls in the stack is movably mounted with respect to the frame as to bear by reason of its own weight and the weight of the rolls higher in the stack on the roll immediately below in the stack. Idler rolls 21 are carried by the frame 20 of the supercalender so that a web W may pass through each of the roll nips in the supercalender with the idler rolls 21 holding the web W out of contact with each of the rolls in the stack as illustrated in FIG. 1. I

The winder 12 may he of any suitable construction and may include a reel drum 22 about which the web W from the supercalender travels and which is in contact with a roll 23 of the web being wound up. The drum 22 may be driven from any suitable prime mover (not shown), and

the Web W may be directed to the drum 22 from the super- I calender by means of any suitable roll system including trimmer discs 33 operating on a bottomroll34 may be provided for the pass of the web W between the rolls 31 and 32. The bell crank levers 29 andthe' guide roll 30 are swingably mountedwith respect to uprights 35 fixed to In accordance a horizonal slab 36. Compression springs 37 .fixed at one end to the uprights are effective on arms of the bell cranks 29 so as to tend to move the takeup roll 28 in the clockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. The rolls 31, 32, and 34, and trimmer discs 33 are suitably mounted with respect to a horizontal support 38 fixed with respect to the uprights 35.

The unwind assembly 10 comprises, in general (see FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8), a reel drum 39, a pair of transfer arms 40, a second pair of transfer arms 41, a belt system 42, a support framing 43 mounted on the slab 36 and supported with respect to the uprights 35, a third pair of transfer arms 44, a pair of lift cams 45, and a knife assembly 46. A roll 47 of the, web of paper which it is desired to supercalender is provided with a spindle 48 at its center, and a pair of plates or ways 49 supported by said framing 43 and having horizontal upper support edges are provided to support the paper'roll by means of the spindle 48. Upwardly slanted ends 50 are provided on the plates 49 for preventing the spindle from moving off of the plates 49.

The arms 40 are pivotally mounted on shafts 51 fixed to and indented within the slab 36. The arms 40 are each provided with a pair of bifurcations 52 and 53 on its'upper end, and each bifurcation terminates with a roller 54. An air piston assembly 55 is provided for moving each of. the arms 40 and comprises a'piston rod 56 connected to the arm 40, a piston 57 fixed' on the rod 56 and a hollow cylindrical shell 58 for receiving the piston and fixed at its lower end 59. to the framing 43.

The'arms 41 are swingably mounted on studs'60 which are carried by pillow blocks 61 mounted on the slab 36.

Each of the arms 41 is providedwith a pair of bifurcations 62 and 63, and rollers 64'and 65 are disposed on the ends of these bifurcations. The bifurcation 62 is fixed with respect to the respective arm 41, and the bifurcation 63 is movable with respect to the'arm 41 being slidably disposed within a corresponding slot 66 in the arm (see FIG. 13). An air piston cylinder assembly 67 is provided for moving the bifurcation 63, the assembly 67 comprising a piston rod 68 fixed to the bifurcation 63 and carrying a piston 69 slidably disposed in' a cylindrical casing 70 that is fixed with respect to the arm'41. V

The belt system 42 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) comprisesa mounting shaft 71 which is supported 'by standards 72 with respect to the slab 36. An elongated tubular shaft, 73 is swingably mounted with respect to the shaft 71 and has a framing 74 fixed thereto. Pulleys 75 are fixed with respect to the framing by means of brackets 7 6, and relatively small rollers 77 are also fixed with respect to the framing by means of brackets 78. A shaft 79 is carried by the shaft 73 by means of brackets 80 mounted on the shaft 73 and pillow blocks 81 through which the shaft 79 extends. A series of pulleys 82 are fixed to the shaft 79 in alignment with the pulleys75, and takeup rollers 33 are disposed in alignmentwith the pulleys 82. The takeup rollers 83 are swingably mounted about the shaft 79 by means of brackets 84 journalled with respect .to the shaft 79. Takeup springs SS are effective on the V60 brackets 84 for moving the rollers 83 downwardly as seen in FIG. 5' A belt 86, preferably of rubber-like material, is disposed about each'set of pulleys and rollers 75, 77, 82, and S3, and the rollers 83 maintain the belts taut about these pulleys and rollers. A pulley 87 is fixed on one end of'the shaft 79, and a pulley 88 isfixed on the shaft 71 inalignment with the pulley 87. A' belt 89 extends about the pulleys 87'a-nd 188 for driving the shaft 79 from the shaft 71, and, a motor 90 onthe end of the shaft 71 is provided for acting as the prime mover for both the shafts Hand 79., V r

is carried by the slab 36 and depends downwardly from the slab. The piston rod 92 on its other end is fixed to the framing 94 by means of a lug 97 so that when air pressure is supplied to the assembly 91, the piston 93-is effective through the piston rod 92 to rotate the framing 74 upwardly about the shaft 71.

The reel drum 39 is preferably a metal roll having a covering '98 of yieldable rubber-like material. The drum 39 is connected to an electric generator 99 through a geared speed reducer 100 and a shaft 101. The drum 39 is rotatably mounted with respect to the support framing 43 by means of bearings 102 mounted on the framing 43.

The arms 44 are swingably mounted about the shaft 101 by being journalled upon external surfaces of the bearings 102. Each of the arms 44 is provided with bifurcations 103 and 104 which are adapted to receive one of the reel shafts 48 between them. Each of the reel shafts 481s provided'with grooves 105 near its ends, and a lug 106 carryingan abutment strip 107 is provided on each arm 44 for entering the adjacent groove 105; A

roller 108 mounted on a bell crank 109 is carried on each of the bifurcations 103, and the roller may be disposed to overlie a shaft 48 as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8.

Each of the arms 44 is provided with a gear segment 110 I fixed thereto, and a pinion gear 111 is in mesh with each 111 and 110.

for actuating each of the bell cranks 109.

cent .one of the arms 44. Each lift cam comprises lobe portions and 121 to embrace one of the reel-shafts 48, and each lift cam 45 is swingably mounted with respect to the associated bearing 102 by mean of a mounting lug 122. A bearing assembly 123 of any conventional type is provided for rotatably mounting the lift cam 45 with respect to the lug 122, and a piston-cylinder assembly 124 'is provided for moving each of the lift cams 45. Each assembly 124 includes a piston 125 slidably disposedin a tubular casing 126 that is fixed at its lower end. A piston rod 127'is connected to the piston 125 at one end and is connected to the associated lift cam 45 at it other end.

The knife assembly 46 (see FIGS. 9, 10, and vj ll) comprises a pivot bracket 128 that is fixedwith'respect to the uprights35, a knife holder 129 carrying .a knife 'blade130 and pairs 'of links 131 and 132 swingably mounting the knife holder 129 with respect to the pivot bracket 128. A cylinder-piston assembly 133 i providcd for moving the knife holder 129 with respect to the pivot' bracket 128, and the assembly 133 comprises a piston 134 slidably disposed within a cylindrical casing. 135 and connected by means of a piston rod 136 with the knife-holder 129.

A piston-cylinder assembly 137 (see FIGS. 4 and 14) is provided for moving each of the arms 41. Each asfsemb ly comprises a piston 138 movalbly disposed in a A piston-cylinder assembly ll (see FIG. 5) is provided.

that is slidably disposed within a cylindrical casing 94. Th casing 94 at one end 95 is fixed to a support ,9 'tl'1at for moving the belt system 42. The assembly 91 comprises a piston rod 92 fixed at one end to a piston 93.

cylindrical casing 139 that is fixed on the lower end. A piston rod 14d connects the piston 133 with the asso,--

ciated arm41.

In operation, a roll 47 of paper or other sheet materiial that is to be superca1endered, is first dropped intox place within the framing 43,-With the grooves 105 of the spindle 48 receiving the ways or plates 49 and with stantially constant with this increase in speed.

the spindle being adjacent to the slanted end 50 of the ways 49. The arms 40 are in the positions illustrated in FIG. 15, so that the bifurcations 52 and 53 embrace the spindle 48. With the roll 47 in place, the arms 40 are then moved to the left by supplying air under pressure to the piston-cylinder assemblies 55 so as to give corresponding movement to the roll 47 to bring its periphery adjacent to but slightly out of contact with the reel drum 39 (see FIG. 16). The roll 47 is supported by the framing 43, with the grooves 105 of the spindle receiving the ways 49 and the spindle sliding on the ways during thi movement of the roll 47. The arms 41 are moved to the limit of their movement to the right as seen in FIG. 16 by application of air under pressure to the pistons 138 (see FIG. 14), and the movable bifurcations 63 of the levers 41 are at the limit of movement downwardly, so that the spindle 48 as it moves along the way 49, With this movement of the roll 47, moves between bifurcations 62 and 63. Air pressure is then supplied to the piston-cylinder assemblies 67 so as to move the bifurcations 63 upwardly to bring the rollers 45 opposite the rollers 64 whereby the bifurcations 62 and 63 effectively embrace the ends of the spindle 48. During this movement of the roll 47 from its loading position, the belts 86 have been in a deactivated position at the limits of their movement downwardly.

In starting the apparatus, the operator causes the drum 39, the belts 86, and the remainder of the apparatus including the supercalender rolls 13, 14, 15, and 17, and the winder roll 22 to move at a relatively slow thread ing speed, for example, 50 to 100 feet per minute. The drum 39 is driven at the relatively slow threading speed by using the electric unit 99 as a motor to drive the. drum through the gearing 100 and shaft 101, and the belts 86 are driven at the threading speed by suitably controlling the motor 90 connected to the belts by means of the shaft 71, the pulleys 88 and 87, the belt 89, the shaft 79, and the pulleys 82. The webbing roll 47 initially is slightly out of contact with respect to the drum 39 and is stationary.- When the parts have reached the slow threading speed as above described, the belt tension unit 42 i raised by applying air pressure to the piston-cylinder assembly 91,- so that the belts 86 are put in forceful contact with the paper roll 47 and cause the roll to turn at the threading speed. The leading end of the web from the roll 47 is then threaded around the drum 39, around the rolls 28, 30, 31, and 32, through the supercalender, and to the winder 12 as illustrated in FIG. 1; and air pressure is then applied to the pistoncylinder assemblies 137 to move the roll 47 into forceful contact with the drum 39 by means of the arms 41. The supercalender draws the web W from the winder 1i and, under these operating conditions, constant tension is maintained on the Web from the unit by controlling the electric units 90 and 99 to utilize them as generators so that they respectively retard movement of the belts 86 and the reel drum 39, with the roll 47 being held in forceful contact with the drum 39 by the pressure applied to the piston-cylinder assemblies 137 and with the belts 86 being held in forceful contact with the roll 47 by pressure applied to the piston-cylinder assembly 91.

It will be understood that initially the web W passes through the supercalender at a relatively slow threading speed, and the speed of travel of the web W is subsequently increased. The generator 90 and 99 are controlled so as to maintain the tension on the Web W sub- Subsequent to the raising of the bifurcations 63, the "arms 40 are returned to their roll loading positions as illustrated in FIG. 17 by applicationof air under pressure to the piston cylinder assemblies 55.

As the roll 47 decreases in diameter as the web is drawn from it through the supercalender, the electric units 99 and 99 are continued in operation as generators for maintaining a constant tension on the web W as it leaves the unwind assembly 16, with the roll 47 being maintained in forceful contact at all times with the reel drum 39 by the piston-cylinder assemblies 137. It will be understood that as the roll 47 decreases in diameter, the piston-cylinder assembly 91 operates to rotate the belt assembly 42 upwardly to maintain the belts 86 in forceful contact with the roll 47. At this time, the arms 44 are moved downwardly under the action of the air motor 114 effective through the speed reducer 115, shaft 112 and gears 111 and 110, so that the arms 44 are substantially horizontal a illustrated in FIG. 18. A new roll 47a is positioned in place with its spindle 48a resting on the Ways 49 and in contact with the upwardly slanted ends 5t) of the ways 49 when the roll 47 has decreased sufliciently in diameter to allow clearance between the two rolls 47 and 47a (see FIG. 18). Although rolls of many different diameters may be utilized with the illustrated equipment, it is contem plated that the rolls 47 and 47a originally may have a 72-inch diameter, for example, and that when the roll 47 has decreased in diameter to approximately 52 inches, the new roll 47a may be moved into place as illustrated in FIG. 18.

The roll 47, as the supercalender continue in operation, remains supported by the Ways 49 until the roll 47 decreases further in diameter, such that its spindle 48 enters between the bifurcations 164 and 103 of the arms 44, the roll at this time having been reduced to approximately a 17-inch diameter, for example. At this time, the piston cylinder assemblies 118 have air pressure applied to them so as to rotate the bell cranks 109 and move the rollers 1198 in contact with the spindle 4% whereby the spindle is held securely within the arms 44. Air pressure is then supplied to the air motor 114 in sufficient amount so that the motor is effective to move the arms 44 upwardly through an angle about 40 degrees (see FIG. 19) with the roll 47 moving along with the arms 44 and remaining in contact with the drum 39, and with the supercalendar 11 continuing in operation and continuing to draw webbing from the roll 47 during thi upward movement of the arms 44 and after the arms have reached their raised positions as just mentioned. It will be understood that with the roll 47 having such a decreased diameter, the roll 47 due to its increased speed is effective to maintain sufficient tension on the Web W as it passes to the supercalender Without the necessity of utilizing restraining forces from the belts 86. Air pressure is supplied to the piston-cylinder assemblies 67 at this time to lower the bifurcations 63, and air pressure is applied to the piston-cylinder assemblies 137 to move the arms 41 back into their original positionsfas illustrated in FIG. 19. The belt assembly 42 is also lowered by application of air pressure to the pistoncylinder assembly 91.

Air pressure is supplied to the piston-clyinder assemblies 55 at this time so that the arms 4% are effective to move the new roll 47a nearly into contact with the drum 39 and into contact with the bifurcations 62 of the arms 41. The bifurcations 63 are then raised by application of air pressure to the piston-cylinder assemblies b7, sothat.

the bifurcations 62 and 63 embrace the spindle 48a of the replacement roll 47a. Air pressure is also supplied to the air motor 114 and to the piston-cylinder assemblies 124, so that the arms 44 are rotated in the counterclockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 7 and 20, and the cams 45 are effective to move the expiring roll 47 out of contact with the reel drum 39 to put the roll 47 in a Web cutofi position (see 516420). The restraining forces due to the generators 9i and 99 are not effective and are probably not needed at this time,,due to the increased speed of the roll 47, in order tornaintain suihcient tension on the web W- as it leave the'unwind assembly Iii; however, any suitable braking device (not shown) may be provided for the spindle 43 if it is desired to increase the tension on the web from the roll 47 at this time.

pressure to the piston-cylinder assembly 91 effective on the framework 74 of the belt assembly 42. The electric unit 90 is then used as a motor, and the new roll 47a is driven by the belts 86 to have a peripheral speed substantially equal to the speed of the Web W passing from the expiring roll 47 around the reel drum 39. Preferably, the splicing is done with the web traveling at a reduced speed, such as 50 to 200 feet per minute. The arms 41 are then utilized, air pressure being applied to the piston-cylinder assemblies 137, to move the new roll 47a along the ways 49 to have a pressure nip with the reel drum 39, and the pieces of tape 141 are thus moved into the pressure nip and against the web coming from the expiring roll 47. The tape 141 adheres to theweb from the roll 47 and draws webbing from the new roll 47a around the reel large paper rolls, such as those larger than 60 inches in diameter which has previously been the practical limit, may be used with the illustrated apparatus. The cams 45 advantageously raise'a webbing roll about to expire from the surface of the reel drum 39 so that the expiring web may be cut by means of the knife assembly 46 after the leading end of a new roll of webbing has been pasted to the expiring webbing; The sets of transfer arms 40 and 41 provide a simplified mechanism for moving the webbing rolls along the ways 49 and-into position adjacent the reel drum 39, and the air controls on the arms 41 may be utilized to holdprecise nip pressures of the webbing rolls against the reel drum 39. The yieldable surface on Although the application of air under pressure to the 7 various piston cylinder assemblies, such as the assemblies drum 59 along with webbing from the expiring roll to 1 complete the splice. I I

Substantially at the same time as the tape 141 enters the nip between the drum-39 and the roll 47a, the knife.

blade 130 is moved into cutting position so as to sever the web from the expiring roll 47 (see FIG. 21), so that subsequently only the single thickness of webbing from.

the-new roll 47a passes around the reel drum 39 to the supercalender 11. The speeds of the 'supercalender and the assemblies 19 and 12 are then raised to normal operating speeds which may be, for example, from 750 to 2000 feet per minute. The knife blade 13% is moved into cutting position by applyin 'air pressure to the pistoncylinder assembly 135 so that the knife holder 129 is moved toward the web from the roll47, with the knife holder being laterally movable as permitted by the swin able supporting links 131 and 132; The motors 99 and 99 are utilized as in connection with the original roll 47 for maintaining a proper tension on the web from the roll 47a as it passe to the supercal'ender 11.' After actuation of the knife assembly dtnthe spindle 58 is removed, from the arms 44, so that the arms 44 may again be used, as just described, in connection with the spindle for the roll 47a when it has had most of the webbing drawn fromit. This function of the arms 44 in connection with the roll 47a is illustratedin FIG. 22, and a new roll 47b of webbing is illustrated in this figure as being lowered into its initial position on the ways 49 with the bifurcations 52 and 53 of the arms 49 embracing the spindle of. the roll 4%.

The illustrated unwind mechanism'advantageously allows continuous operation of a converting apparatus, such as a supercalender, with no cessation of operation when new, rolls of webbing are substituted for expiring rolls. The electric unit 9% advantageously may be made to function as a motor so that the belts 56 may be utilized to bring 'a new roll of webbing up to web speed just prior to pasting the newweb and expiring web together, whereby a continuou web ispresentefd to the converting apparatus;

and, the electric units 90 and 99functioning as-genera' tors may be controlled to maintain a constanttension on the web being supplied to the converting apparatus. The

ways 49 advantageously function to support the rolls of ubstantial rigidityand strength; and, therefore'relatively 67, 55', and 137, and the motor 114, has been hereinbefore mentioned, it will be understood that hydraulic fluid under pressure could alternately be used with the same results. The 'supercalender 11 has been described as being a converting apparatus to which web from the unwind assembly 10 is directed; however, it will be understood that converting apparatus to which web may be directed from the unwind assembly may be any other well known web treating device, such as a wax impregnating machine, a printing press or an oif-the-machine coater, for example. The ways 49 have been illustrated and described as being horizontal; however, it will be understood that these may be slightly tilted in either direction if it is desired to either impedeor assist the movement of a roll of webbing on the ways 49 due to the action of gravity.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction and methods shown 1. In a mechanism for supplying sheet material web.

sequentially from a plurality of rolls of the web, the combination of a rotatable drum, a pair of ways for supporting a roll of the web by means of a spindle extending through the web so that the roll may be in contact with the drum and remain in contact as the roll decreases in diameter with movement of the spindle toward the drum as the web is drawn off the roll and through the nip between the drum and roll and around the drum, motor means for urging the roll into forceful contact with said drum, means for retarding rotation of said drum to provide tension on the web being drawn from the supply'mechanism, a pair of arms swingably and coaxially mounted about said drum and being bifurcated'on their ends to engage. the spindle whereby the roll may be moved in a circular path upwardly and about the drum and remain in contact with the drum on a depletion in size of the roll so that a replacement roll of web carried .by a spindle extending through the roll and resting on said waysmay be moved in contact with thedrurn in place of said first named roll, cam mechanism forraising said first named roll out of contact with said drum on a continued swinging movement on said'arms so as to provide an unsupported length of web between said first named roll and said drum, and .a knife assembly for severing the unsupported length of web from, said first named rollso that .a patch of adhesive on the endof the replacement roll may adhere to the end of the web as severed by said knife assembly from said firstnamed roll for providing.

bination of a drum, means for rotatably mountingsaid V drum, means for retarding the rotation of said drum, a pair of ways for supporting a roll of the web by means of a spindle extending through the web and means for urging the roll into forceful contact with the drum so that the roll'remains in contact with the drum and is retarded in rotation by the drum as the web is drawn from the roll and. through the nip between the roll and drum and about the drum, a pair of arms rotatably mounted by said drum supporting means and being bifurcated on their ends so as to engage the spindle extending through the roll so that the roll may be moved in a circular path about said drum off of said'ways on a depletion in size of the roll whereby a replacement roll of web carried by a spindle extending through the roll and supported by said ways may be moved in contact with the drum in place of said first named roll, and a plurality of bolts supported by a roller assembly so that the belts are in contact with a roll of web that is in contact with said drum, and means for retarding movement of said belts for thereby assisting said drum in retarding rotation of the web roll in contact with the drum.

3. In a mechanism for supplying sheet material web sequentially from a plurality of rolls 'of the .web, the combination of a rotatable drum, a pair of ways for sup porting a roll of the web by means of a spindle extending through the web so that the roll is in contact with the drum'and remains in contact as the roll decreases in diameter with movement of the spindle toward said drum as the web is drawn from the web roll and through the nip between said roll and drum and about the drum, means for engaging the spindle and moving the roll in a curvilinear path about said drum and off said ways with the roll remaining in contact with the drum on a depletion in size of the roll so that a replacement roll of Web carried by a spindle extending through the roll resting on said ways may be moved in contact with the drum in place of said first named roll, a knife mechanism for severing the web from said first named roll when the replacement roll is moved into contact with the drum whereby a'web engaging adhesive applied on the end of the web on said replacement roll may couple with the end of the web from said first named'rolls, and a plurality of belts held in spaced relation by means of a roller assembly and engageable with the replacement roll supported by said ways as it is about to be brought in contact with said drum, and a motor for driving said belts so as to drive the replacement roll to cause it to have approximately the same peripheral speed as the drum prior to its being brought into contact with the drum.

4. In a mechanism for supplying sheet material web sequentially from a plurality of rolls of the web, the

, combination of a rotatable drum, a pair of substantially horizontal ways for supporting a roll of the web by means of a spindle extending through the roll so that the roll may be in contact with the drum and remain in contact as the roll decreases in diameter with movement of the spindle toward the drum as the web is drawn ofi the roll and through the nip between the drum and roll and around the bottom peripheral surface of the drum,tmotor means for urging the roll into forceful contact with said drum, means for retarding rotation of said drum to provide tension on the web-being drawn from the supply mechanism, a pair of arms swingably mounted at the ends of said drum and having the ends of the arms arranged to engage the spindle whereby the roll may be moved in a circular path upwardly from said ways and about the drum to remain in contact with the drum on an upperperipheral surface of the drum on a depletion in size of the roll so that a replacement roll carried by a spindle extending through the roll and resting on said ways may be moved in contact with the drum in place of said first named roll, mechanism for raising said first named roll out of contact with the upper peripheral surface of the drum soas to provide an unsupported length of web between saidfirst named roll and said drum, and a knife assembly positioned tosever said unsupported length of web extending between said first named .roll and said drum so that a patch of adhesive on the end of the replacement roll may adhere to the end of the web as severed by said knife assembly from said first named roll for providing a continuous web from the supply mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany May 6, '1959 

1. IN A MECHANISM FOR SUPPLYING SHEET MATERIAL WEB SEQUENTIALLY FROM A PLURALITY OF ROLLS OF THE WEB, THE COMBINATION OF A ROTATABLE DRUM, A PAIR OF WAYS FOR SUPPORTING A ROLL OF THE WEB BY MEANS OF A SPINDLE EXTENDING THROUGH THE WEB SO THAT THE ROLL MAY BE IN CONTACT WITH THE DRUM AND REMAIN IN CONTACT AS THE ROLL DECREASES IN DIAMETER WITH MOVEMENT OF THE SPINDLE TOWARD THE DRUM AS THE WEB IS DRAWN OFF THE ROLL AND THROUGH THE NIP BETWEEN THE DRUM AND ROLL AND AROUND THE DRUM, MOTOR MEANS FOR URGING THE ROLL INTO FORCEFUL CONTACT WITH SAID DRUM, MEANS FOR RETARDING ROTATION OF SAID DRUM TO PROVIDE TENSION ON THE WEB BEING DRAWN FROM THE SUPPLY MECHANISM, A PAIR OF ARMS SWINGABLY AND COAXIALLY MOUNTED ABOUT SAID DRUM AND BEING BIFURCATED ON THEIR ENDS TO ENGAGE THE SPINDLE WHEREBY THE ROLL MAY BE MOVED IN A CIRCULAR PATH UPWARDLY AND ABOUT THE DRUM AND REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH THE DRUM ON A DEPLETION IN SIZE OF THE ROLL SO THAT A REPLACEMENT ROLL OF WEB CARRIED BY A SPINDLE EXTENDING THROUGH THE ROLL AND RESTING ON SAID WAYS MAY BE MOVED IN CONTACT WITH THE DRUM IN PLACE OF SAID FIRST NAMED ROLL, CAM MECHANISM FOR RAISING SAID FIRST NAMED ROLL OUT OF CONTACT WITH SAID DRUM ON A CONTINUED SWINGING MOVEMENT ON SAID ARMS SO AS TO PROVIDE AN UNSUPPORTED LENGTH OF WEB BETWEEN SAID FIRST NAMED ROLL AND SAID DRUM, AND A KNIFE ASSEMBLY FOR SEVERING THE UNSUPPORTED LENGTH OF WEB FROM SAID FIRST NAMED ROLL SO THAT A PATCH OF ADHESIVE ON THE END OF THE REPLACEMENT ROLL MAY ADHERE TO THE END OF THE WEB AS SEVERED BY SAID KNIFE ASSEMBLY FROM SAID FIRST NAMED ROLL FOR PROVIDING A CONTINUOUS WEB FROM THE SUPPLY MECHANISM. 